URBAN LEGENDS. We've all heard them, laughed at them, been fascinated by them or terrified by them. Whether you like it or not, urban legends and horror stories are a part of life. copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAdb6nmrTH

My school counselor says that horror stories and things I enjoy reading after dark and then thinking about until the sun comes up are the reason for my panic attacks. If that's the case with you, then here are a few simple steps to help ease the anxiety. (courtesy of Web.md)copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡokjOW6seI3

-Lie on your back in a comfortable place.copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrDZDKmZbg

-Breathe in slowly through your nose, using your diaphragm to suck air into your lungs while allowing your abdomen to expand. (Put your hand on your abdomen just below the navel to make sure the abdomen is being pushed up and out by the diaphragm.) After the abdomen is expanded, continue to inhale as deeply as possible.copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzB0ox6RMP

-When you breathe out, reverse the process: Contract the abdomen while exhaling slowly and completely.copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnosF5BwfH

Now that I have that over with, here's one of my favorite urban legends. Slenderman. No one is quite sure where Slenderman started, but I do know that he has been around far longer than many people believe. He is said to prey on children and have teleportation powers. He first appeared online in June 2009 in a photoshop contest. Since then, he has spread like wildfire, appearing in fan fictions, costume contests fan art and even his own video games. But he was around before that too. Tall, oddly similar figures have appeared in cave paintings, ancient texts and pottery found in ancient civilizations. copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSUPkAUW7a

OF COURSE, SLENDERMAN IS NOT THE ONLY URBAN LEGEND. If you want to read Urban Legends, visit http://urbanlegends.about.com/copyright protection262ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGbOTbBQyo